Wire reel



F. L. CARSON WIRE REEL Sept. 19, 1939.

Filed Dec. 6, 1957 Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to Wire reels of the particular type utilized for holding and manipulating wires that are used by plumbers for removing obstructions from clogged drain pipes and the like and also used by electricians for the handling of current carrying wires when the same are inserted in or removed from conduits and the like.

The principal objects of my invention are, to generally improve upon and simplify the existing forms of similar wire reels and holders and to provide a holder comprising relatively few parts that are capable of being easily and conveniently manipulated when reeling or unreeling the Wire and the construction of the device being such as to develop minimum friction during operation.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a wire reel of the character referred to that may be easily and conveniently manipulated by a single operator while the device is used for inserting the carried wire into or removing the same from a pipe or conduit.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a wire reel constructed in accordance with my invention with portions thereof broken away and in section, in order to more clearly illustrate the details of construction.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, l designates a tubular housing circular in shape and which housing is adapted to contain the wire generally used for removing obstructions from clogged drain pipes and also by electricians in placing Wires within or removing the same from conduits.

Formed in the side of the tubular housing is a continuous slot 2 which permits the wire to pass readily into and out of the housing. Disposed adjacent the side of the housing and directly over the continuous slot 2 is a ring 3, preferably formed from flat metal stock, and seated in said ring are the outer ends of studs or rivets 4 that pass through the slot 2 with the heads of said studs or rivets on the interior of the housing and thus the ring and housing are held in assembled relation and each part being free to rotate upon the other part.

A short portion of the ring 3, for instance, the portion between the letters A, B in Fig. 1,

is curved inwardly to a point past the inner periphery of the tubular housing I and this inwardly curved portion serves as a handle that is grasped when the reel is manipulated.

Thus the greater portion of the ring 3 provides a closure for the continuous slot 2 in the housing and the wire 5 that is normally contained Within the housing in coiled condition projects from said housing outwardly through the slot 2 in that portion that is exposed due to the inwardly curved handle.

In the use of my improved wire reel, the inwardly curved portion of the ring 3 that serves as a handle is grasped by the left hand and with the right hand the tubular housing I is rotated away from the operator to expel the wire from the housing, said wire passing outwardly through slot 2 directly above the handle or, when the housing is rotated toward the operator the wire will be drawn into the housing.

Obviously, my improved reel may be utilized as a housing and handling device for steel tapes such as are utilized by surveyors or in fact, any wire or tape that is normally in the form of a coil and which in service is reeled and unreeled.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a wire reel that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, and very effective for performing the functions for which it is intended. The reel comprises a minimum number of parts that develop very little friction during manipulation and the wire may be reeled or unreeled without developing objectionable kinking.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved wire reel, may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A wire reel comprising a ring-shaped tubular housing, there being an endless slot formed in the side of said housing, a ring positioned directly over said slot and forming a closure, means seated in said ring and extending through the endless slot in the housing to form a sliding connection between said ring and housing, a portion of said ring being curved inwardly toward the center of the ring-shaped housing to 50 form a handle that may be grasped during the manipulation of the reel and to expose a portion of the endless slot and a coil of wire contained within said housing, which wire projects through that portion of the slot that is exposed by the inwardly curved portion of said ring.

FRANK L. CARSON. 

